Vigo Prerunner Update

[Lourens]

I have been driving my Vigo PreRunner now for just more than six months and it has been a pleasure all the way. I am still impressed with the build quality and performance of the machine and the service from the dealer in Buriram was done efficiently and professionally.

The car was used mainly for around town driving with the occasional trips out of town to neighboring towns. Two trips went to Chong Chom for visa runs and shopping, one to the Aranyapathet border market and one trip to Koh Chang for a nice holiday. (Read all about it on my BLOG.)

Around town the car performed well being happy to crawl along in second or third gear with enough torque not to worry about gear changes too much. This suits my small wife well and when she adjusts the seat and mirrors to her liking, she can negotiate even the smallest gaps with ease. Fuel consumption stays at around 10 – 10.5 km/Liter.

On those trips to neighboring towns, it is a pleasure to drive the mainly secondary roads in Isaan. Even when road surfaces are not up to scratch, the PreRunner suspension makes for a smooth ride. Cruising at 80 - 100 km/h, the roads could well have been primary surface and the minor bumps and potholes go unnoticed. When I drove the small Nissan NV before, my wife used to complain when the speed went above 80 km/h because you could really feel the road in this car. Cruising in the Vigo, she falls asleep when I drive at 100 km/h. Fuel consumption creeps to 11 km/Liter on these trips and there is never the worry to fill up at the next gas station.

On the long trips, it is a pleasure to drive the Vigo with its 3.0 liter diesel engine. It has a lot of power for overtaking and hills is taken in its stride. The ride is comfortable and sitting behind the wheel for two hours at a time is no problem at all. (Always stop after two hours to give yourself a break and stretch those legs.) It carries a load well and even with nine adults and five children and loaded with merchandise on the return from Aranyaphatet, still managed 11 km/Liter.

Driving to Koh Chang in six hours from Buriram proved to be the best trip I have had in Thailand so far. Although the roads are not always so great, driving the Vigo makes it a pleasure. Averaging about 90 km/h the fuel consumption was the best yet with 12 km/Liter both ways. That was on a trip of 1000 kilometers.

The 5000 kilometer service at the dealer was done in an hour at the dealer. This was supposed to be a free service but the cost came to 10 Baht and 70 Satang. After complaining bitterly about this detail, they gave me 70 Satang discount. The money was for a bottle of water to top up the battery.

I'm happy and will keep my log of the Vigo PreRunner up to date.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

The 5000 kilometer service at the dealer was done in an hour at the dealer. This was supposed to be a free service but the cost came to 10 Baht and 70 Satang. After complaining bitterly about this detail, they gave me 70 Satang discount. The money was for a bottle of water to top up the battery.

You are stingy mate - arguing over 10 baht and 70 satang!!! :D

And you seemed satisfied by the 70 satang discount!!! :D

[ThaiLife]

Lourens

Just wondering does the Prerunner come as standard with Electric windows, and remote central door locking ….?

TL

[Gary A]

I probably should keep my mouth shut because I have been basically called a liar in the past. I think your 11 or 12 kilometers per liter is depressing. The new state of the art common rail fuel injection is supposed to improve the fuel economy. My old 2004 Nissan beats the hel_l out of the new common rail Toyotas.

[Lourens]

Lourens

Just wondering does the Prerunner come as standard with Electric windows, and remote central door locking ….?

TL

Yes it does.

By the way, it seems the link to my blog did not take on first effort. Here it is again BLOG?

Edited December 16, 2006 by Lourens

[pal78]

I probably should keep my mouth shut because I have been basically called a liar in the past. I think your 11 or 12 kilometers per liter is depressing. The new state of the art common rail fuel injection is supposed to improve the fuel economy. My old 2004 Nissan beats the hel_l out of the new common rail Toyotas.

Actually I believe you and I would be disappointed with 11km/l from a new Prerunner too. I know it's not the same thing exactly, but I read an article somewhere comparing a VW Golf from the 1980's to a modern Golf, and the old one had better fuel economy.

I suppose in the case of the Golf, the increase in size and weight over the years has nullified any slight increases in engine efficiency. The same could be true of the trucks? The Vigo is a very big!

Apart from Common rail, there haven't been too many notable advances in diesel engine technology over the years. And from my understanding of common rail it leads to smoother performance thanks to the availability of consistent pressure, it doesn't provide a massive boost to efficiency.

That said, you're not the first person I've heard saying good things about that Nissan Frontier engine, and perhaps it is just better than Toyota's efforts?

When the Nissan Navara comes out with it's 2.5 liter common rail, we'll be able to see if Nissan manage to give any real increase in economy with the technology.

[Gary A]

I probably should keep my mouth shut because I have been basically called a liar in the past. I think your 11 or 12 kilometers per liter is depressing. The new state of the art common rail fuel injection is supposed to improve the fuel economy. My old 2004 Nissan beats the hel_l out of the new common rail Toyotas.

Actually I believe you and I would be disappointed with 11km/l from a new Prerunner too. I know it's not the same thing exactly, but I read an article somewhere comparing a VW Golf from the 1980's to a modern Golf, and the old one had better fuel economy.

I suppose in the case of the Golf, the increase in size and weight over the years has nullified any slight increases in engine efficiency. The same could be true of the trucks? The Vigo is a very big!

Apart from Common rail, there haven't been too many notable advances in diesel engine technology over the years. And from my understanding of common rail it leads to smoother performance thanks to the availability of consistent pressure, it doesn't provide a massive boost to efficiency.

That said, you're not the first person I've heard saying good things about that Nissan Frontier engine, and perhaps it is just better than Toyota's efforts?

When the Nissan Navara comes out with it's 2.5 liter common rail, we'll be able to see if Nissan manage to give any real increase in economy with the technology.

Unfortunately I lost interest in the new Navara when I found out it is bigger. I would have been MUCH more interested if it would have been smaller. My 4X4 Toyota is now history but I can tell you for a fact that the Nissan is smoother, has more power and gets a lot better fuel economy. Being a 4X4 four door the Toyota could be expected to use more fuel and not have as much power, but it lacked a lot. Both are 3.0 liter non turbo engines.

[ThailandTony]

Hi Lourens and Happy New Year to you and your family. I'm glad to hear your ordeal in Saudi is finally history and I'm sure something will turn up when you least expect it!

I got my Vigo in September 2005 and have been chuffed to bits with it ever since. I went a bit kid in the candy shop and got the 4 x 4 Auto with every extra available. I've done about 20,000 km of trouble free motoring with multiple trips to the airport, Pattaya and beyond. I am back in Thailand this coming Thursday 18/1 for a couple of weeks and the head man from the village drives the car and whoever wants to "pay teow" to the airport with my wife and kids and then we drive back to the village. If I go on somewhere else he jumps on a bus and I drive the motor away. This is a bargain at 500 Baht for either option and its nice to be driving my own wheels away from the surnambin!

We are going cross country from Chaiyaphum to deepest, darkest Ubon on Saturday to see the kids grandparents on their fathers side (I am step-dad) so we will have a nice motoring holiday for a few days.

I have a thing about the big wheel arches on the off-side rear, not only with the Vigo but with my 4 x 4 here in Bahrain. I keep bashing them into posts that you can't see as they are below the level of the wing mirror. A friend suggested the rods that clip onto the wheel arches and project up to the mirrors line of sight, but I don't think that will help me see these small posts that JUMP out from the middle of nowhere. Maybe one of those little mirrors that you stick onto the glass of the wing mirror will do it?

I have had 14 in the back of mine and 6 inside including me, great holiday days to some of the great National Park visits we often go on in Chaiyaphum.

Songkran was great to with 2 big dustbins of water and as many pretty girls from the village as could be mustered

Also we bought these tree's to put at the entrance of our property and the roll bars came in very hand as they are quite tall.

I totally relate to your experience of receiving your driving instructions AFTER you have left for your perceived destination.....it used to drive my friend nuts when his wife did it but I find it quite endearing when my wife pulls this stunt, I tell her I'm not worzel gummidge with a selection of heads and that my mind reading head is back at home and chuckle to myself under my breath, hey, what else have I got to do!?

This will be my last trip before the end of March when I will go back to bring them all back here to Bahrain....inshallah!

Time for bed, work in the morning.....speak soon!

[macb]

Interesting report with replies. at the moment I am running Isuzu 3 litre all black leather seats etc, but am wanting to change to Toyota Auto in the near future, so am looking for a buyer for my pick up

5700 k

Not yet three years old

[ThaiLife]

Just seen this ... interesting article, you can order this direct....

This model we are having specially prepared for export

Hilux Vigo D/Cab, 3.0G Diesel Turbo I/C, automatic PreRunner

Make: Brand New Toyota Model: Hilux Vigo D/Cab, 3.0G Diesel Turbo I/C, automatic Model Type: PreRunner Type (4WD look) - SPECIAL EDITION Year: 2006/2007 Stock Number: New JDL-17 Mileage: 5 kms External Color: Various Internal Color: Tan / Brown Chassis No.: Available upon placing order Grade: 6 Engine: Inline 4 Transmission: Automatic Vehicle Type: Pick Up Engine Capacity: 2,982 cc Body Type: N/A Max. Load: N/A Fuel Type: Diesel Comments: This unit is 2WD, automatic transmission, diesel turbo with intercooler, but has the look and height of the Hilux Vigo 3.0G 4WD! It also comes with all the standard features found on the 3.0G 4WD at substantial savings!

[ThailandTony]

Interesting report with replies. at the moment I am running Isuzu 3 litre all black leather seats etc, but am wanting to change to Toyota Auto in the near future, so am looking for a buyer for my pick up

5700 k

Not yet three years old

.......I think you missed a bit MacB!

[ThailandTony]

ps.....I can only give consumption numbers at 160kph, my old nick name was "Ton-up Tony" as I went everywhere at 100mph, not much has changed....only that I read it off in kilo's now!....Really must slow down but the Vigo's got some serious grunt and tells me its happy eating up the kilo's at such a rapid rate of knots.....Roll on Thursday!

[Gary A]

Deleted post

Edited January 14, 2007 by Gary A

[macb]

Interesting report with replies. at the moment I am running Isuzu 3 litre all black leather seats etc, but am wanting to change to Toyota Auto in the near future, so am looking for a buyer for my pick up

5700 k

Not yet three years old

Lets up-date this info 57000 kilometre on clock Full Service history no heavy work Pioneer sound system Roll bars Alloys storage box.

interested send me a pm